Think South Jersey Group 4 football.
Think Cherokee and Shawnee. Think Williamstown and Pennsauken. Think Absegami and Egg Harbor Township and, depending on the season, a Shore Conference power such as Toms River North.
This season, it might be time to think about Millville.
"We're trying not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Millville coach Jason Durham said. "We have a bye in our fourth week. We're focusing on our first three games, and then we'll evaluate where we're at."
Right now, the Thunderbolts are smack dab in the middle of the conversation about South Jersey Group 4 contenders. This doesn't look like one of those years with a dominant team in the biggest group, and the wide-open race is likely to include perennial contenders such as second-ranked Cherokee and No. 7 Shawnee, as well as No. 5 Pennsauken and No. 9 Williamstown.
But Millville could be in the mix. The Thunderbolts showed their credentials on Friday with an imposing, 33-7 victory over an Oakcrest team that battled No. 1 Holy Spirit for three quarters in the season opener.
Oakcrest made the South Jersey Group 4 final in 2010, and the Falcons are a serious South Jersey Group 3 contender this season.
"Our kids played really well," Durham said. "It was one of those total team efforts."
Millville (2-0) has been led by senior running back Alquann Jones, who has 448 yards in the first two games. Jones ran for 218 yards against Oakcrest.
"He's a small kid in stature," Durham said of the 5-foot-7, 165-pound Jones. "But he's powerful. He's a big weight-room kid. He's got tremendous speed, and he dies hard."
Durham also credited the work of Millville's offensive line, especially senior left tackle Nick Tyndal, a four-year starter, and junior center Jimmy Cessna.
The Thunderbolts have a great tradition, but they've been under the radar in recent years. Between 2006 and '08, the program won just five games. Durham took over in 2008, and the Thunderbolts' record has improved each season from 1-9 to 5-5 to 6-4.
This could be the breakthrough year.
"We're trying to keep things in perspective," Durham said. "It's two games. This week, we have EHT [Egg Harbor Township], and we've never beaten them in my first three years. So that's the only challenge we're looking at right now."
Pirates make their move. Cinnaminson was 0-1 after a tough loss to Willingboro and down, 26-14, in the fourth quarter Friday night against Holy Cross.
